VMI Baseball lost to Western Carolina, 4-3, in extra innings on April 19 at Lamore Field at Gray-Minor Stadium. The game remained tied through nine innings before the Catamounts scored a run in the tenth inning to secure the win.
The close contest saw both teams deliver strong pitching performances, with six shutout innings thrown during the matchup. VMI recorded three runs from seven hits. Grayson Fitzwater hit his 17th home run of the season, a three-run shot that accounted for all of VMI’s runs. Gabe Jenkins and Bradley Garner each contributed two hits, including a double.
Owen Prince extended his on-base streak to 39 games after drawing two walks during the game. Buddy Baker tallied four strikeouts in his second career start for VMI. Andrew Jones pitched five scoreless innings in relief, allowing only two hits without any walks or runs.
The scoring began early with both teams hitting home runs in the first inning; Fitzwater’s three-run homer gave VMI an early lead of 3-1. Western Carolina narrowed the gap with a double in the third inning and later tied it up on a passed ball in the fourth. After five scoreless frames, Western Carolina managed an RBI single in extra innings for the victory.
Looking ahead, VMI will begin a four-game road trip starting Tuesday against Longwood at Farmville, Virginia, with first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m.
